Earth Day? Try B’earth Day! Mexican gray wolf Trumpet is in labor right now with her fifth litter of pups! Tune in via live webcam.

Much as her parents before her (Rosa and Diego, who were also both born on April 22), Trumpet is welcoming her children into the world with love and tenderness – two qualities that are common in wolf families. Pups are a welcome gift for mom Trumpet and dad Lighthawk but they’re a gift for their imperiled species as well. 

Mexican gray wolves were declared extinct in the wild over two decades ago and only through carefully managed reintroduction programs, combined with Endangered Species Act protections and staunch support from other organizations and people like you, have they been able to make steps toward recovery. 

Some of Trumpet and Lighthawk’s children are currently living in the wilds of the Southwest and it is our hope that one day, entire families of captive-born wolves can reclaim their rightful place on the wild landscape.  

It is up to us, on Earth Day and every day, to protect and preserve these essential species.

I think often about how far we have come since both Mexican gray wolves and red wolves were completely extinct in the wild. Along with other trusted groups and caring supporters like you, the Wolf Conservation Center has aided in the recovery of these endangered wolves. Through education and outreach we have helped millions of people better understand wolves and their importance in maintaining healthy ecosystems. 

But, we still have so far to go! 

Today, on Earth Day, let us not forget the wolf. Although often misunderstood and maligned, these essential and intelligent animals play an important part in protecting our ecosystems. 

It is up to us, on Earth Day and every day, to protect and preserve these essential species. Because a world where wolves thrive is a world where we all thrive! 

But why are wolves so important to our environment?

Wolves are a critical keystone species in a healthy ecosystem – without wolves and other large predators, ecosystems spiral out of control. Because wolves are greatly outnumbered by their prey, they can control the distribution, population, and behavior of a great number of prey species. The presence of wolves indirectly impacts plants, trees, songbirds, beavers, fish…. even butterflies! Without wolves, the system fails to support a natural level of biodiversity and may cease to exist altogether. 

Wolves remind us of the important give-and-take of nature, and the role each animal plays in our environment. Healthy wolf populations are essential to stable and balanced ecosystems.  

Let’s all do our part to save the wolves. This Earth Day, use your voice, educate those around you, and support the Center in our mission to restore these essential and imperiled species!